Turntable fabric spreading machine

ABSTRACT

In a turntable fabric spreading machine having a positive drive roller for drawing fabric off a supply roll and positively feeding it through a cutting assembly to a table surface, handleactuated cam means mounts an idler roller for movement between an operative position in which it is in close promimity to the positive feed roller for causing the fabric to wrap around the latter, and a retracted position in which it is spaced a substantial distance from the feed roller to permit the fabric to be manually fed therebetween. Handle-actuated cam means are also provided to separate the front wall of the cutting assembly housing from a guard plate normally closely spaced from said front wall, in order to permit fabric to be manually fed between said front wall and guard plate.

United States Patent Grimm et al.

[ 1 June 27, 1972 [54] TURNTABLE FABRIC SPREADING [73] Assignee: Panther Machine Corp., New York, NY.

[22] Filed: March 19, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 21,047

2,670,040 2/1954 Sayles ..83/484 Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland Attorney-Edward F. Levy [5 7] ABSTRACT In a turntable fabric spreading machine having a positive drive roller for drawing fabric off a supply roll and positively feeding it through a cutting assembly to a table surface, handle-actuated cam means mounts an idler roller :for movement between an operative position in which it is in close promimity to the positive feed roller for causing the fabric to wrap around the latter, and a retracted position in which it is spaced a substantial distance from the feed roller to permit the fabric to be manually fed therebetween. Handle-actuated cam means are also provided to separate the front wall of the cutting assembly housing from a guard plate normally closely spaced from said front wall, in order to permit fabric to be manually fed between said front wall and guard plate.

/;1 1 "V WI INVENTORS 72 J f6 /4 HAROLD GRIMM BY IRA ZUCKERMA A TTORNEY PATENTEDJUHZYHYZ SHEEIE m3 INVENTORS HAROLD GRIMM IRA ZUCKERMAN QMY%% ATTORNEY PATENTEDJUNZT m2 3. 672.662

sum 3 BF 3 INVENTORS HAROLD GRIMM IRA ZUCKERMAN ATTORNEY TURNTABLE FABRIC SPREADING MACHINE The present invention relates to a turntable fabric spreading machine, and in particular to a novel and improved fabric feeding assembly for a machine of this type.

In turntable spreading machines, a supply of fabric, usually in roll form, is mounted upon the turntable section, and is laid down upon the table section in superimposed sheets as the machine carriage is moved back and forth over the table surface. At each end of the run, before the turntable section is rotated on the carriage, the material is cut to separate the laiddown sheet, and a motor-driven cutting assembly is often provided for this purpose. In addition, there is often provided a positive feed roller about which the fabric is trained as it leaves the supply roll. The positive feed roller is driven in response to movement of the carriage back and forth over the table, and it draws the fabric from the supply roll and feeds it through the cutting assembly to the surface of the table.

In order for the positive feed roller to properly grip the fabric, an idler roller is mounted in close proximity thereto. The fabric passes around the idler roller and then around the positive feed roller, engaging a large portion of the circumference of the latter. Because these rollers are normally in close proximity, it is virtually impossible tofeed the fabric around and between the two rollers in this position. It has been customary, therefore, to mount the idler roller on a pivotally swinging frame so that it could be moved away from the positive drive roller for initial feeding of the fabric therebetween. This swinging frame required a latch arrangement to lock it in operative position, so that it was expensive to manufacture and difficult to operate.

In addition, after thefabric had been threaded through the rollers, difficulty was encountered in feeding it through the cutting assembly. This difficulty was occasioned by the fact that the fabric had to-be lowered through a narrow slot in the cutting assembly which was traversed by the cutting blade. Heretofore a swinging door has been provided at the front of the cutting assembly, forming the frontwall of said narrow slot, and the door has been opened to pennit the fabric to be fed through the opened slot. This again required latch means and resulted in difiiculty in operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel and improved handle-actuated fabric feeding means for turntable spreading machines which permits fabric to be initially fed quickly and easily about said positive drive roller, and also through the cutting assembly of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fabric spreading machine of the character described having improved fabric feeding means' which is easily operated by means of externally accessible handles and which requires no latching means.

A further objectof the invention is the provision of fabric feeding means of the character described which iscam actuated and is inexpensive in manufacture and maintainance.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided in a fabric spreading machine a cam-operated fabric feeding assembly for guiding the fabricfrom the supply roll about the positive drive roller of the machine and through a cutting assembly, said feeding assembly being movable to a retracted position to permit the fabric to be fed around said positive drive roller and through said cutting assembly. The fabric feeding assembly includes an idler roller mounted by first cam means on the machine carriage for movement between an operative position closely spaced from one side of said positive feed roller, and a retracted position spaced a substantial distance from the other side of said positive feed roller for feeding fabric between said rollers.

The cutting assembly includes a housing having a movable front wall and a guard plate mounted forwardly of said front wall and closely spaced therefrom for guiding fabric therebetween. The fabric feeding assembly also includes second cam means for spreading apart said front wall and guard plate a sufficient distance to permit the leading edge of the fabric coming from said positive feed roller to be fed between said front wall and guard plate to the surface of the table. t

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a turntable spreading machine made in accordance with the present invention with portions of the machine shown broken away to reveal inner constructional details;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the upper portion of the carriage of the machine of FIG. 1, showing the components of the fabric feeding means for the guide roller in their retracted positions, and the manner in which the fabric is fed therebetween;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the machine carriage taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. l, with the central portion of the machine being broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the cutting assembly of the machine with a portion of the housing thereof broken away and shown in section, and the parts thereof in their normally closed positions during operation of the machine;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the front portion of the cutting assembly with the parts in the same positions as FIG. 4 but viewed from the opposite side;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the cutting assembly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with portions thereof broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the cutting assembly of the machine, similar to FIG. 4, but showing the parts thereof in open position; and

FIG. 8 is a central section through the cutting assembly housing, taken substantially along line 88 of FIG. 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a cloth spreading machine 10 which includes a carriage 12 formed of a pair of frames 14 and 16 connected in spaced relationship by cross rods 18 and 19. Each of the frames is mounted on a pair of wheels, the frame 16 being mounted on flanged wheels 20which are guided for longitudinal movement along a table 22 by a rail 24 mounted on the table. The opposite frame 14 is also mounted on the usual wheels (not shown) which roll along the table surface.

Mounted on the carriage 12 is a turntable frame 26 mounting a pair of spaced uprights 28 between which a roll of fabric 30 may be rotatably mounted. The turntable frame 26 is pivotally mounted in a manner well known in the art upon the carriage 12, so that it may be revolved thereon to turn the fabric roll 30 in opposite directions. Conventional latch means (not shown) may also be provided to lock the turntable frame 26 in either of its two reversed positions, for example in the position shown in FIG. 1.

The fabric 32, in sheet form, is fed from the roll 30 through the machine 10 and is fed by the latter to the surface of table 22, where it is laid down in a uniform stack of cut sheets 34, as the machine 10 is rolled back and forth along the table. For the purpose of cutting these individual sheets 34, the machine 10 includes a motor-driven cutting assembly 36 by means of which the fed fabric 32 is cut off at each end of the run of carriage 12.

In turntable spreading machines of this type no end catchers or clamps are used to grip the ends of the sheet material as the latter is laid down on the table. Consequently, a roller 40 is provided for drawing the fabric 32 from the mounted roll 30 and positively feeding the fabric through the cutting assembly and to the table surface. The roller 40 is mounted on a shaft 42 between the frames 14 and 16, and is connected by a chain 44 to a drive sprocket 46. A series of similar chains and sprockets (not shown) connect sprocket 46 to one of the wheels of the carriage 12 in such a manner that rotation of said wheel, as the carriage rolls along the table causes corresponding rotation of the sprocket 46. The roller 40 is associated with a one-way clutch arrangement of conventional construction, whereby said roller 40 always rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1, regardless of the direction of travel of the carriage 12.

The roller 40 has an outer circumferential surface which is abraded or knurled to grip the fabric material passing thereover. In order to provide the necessary gripping action, it is necessary for the fabric to extend about a substantial portion of the circumference of the roller 40. An important feature of the invention is the provision of means 48 for holding the fabric in firm engagement with a major surface portion of the positive feed roller, such means being manually releasable to permit the fabric to be fed therethrough.

Such fabric retaining means 48 is shown in detail in FIGS 2 and 3 and comprises an idler roller 50 rotatably mounted on a shaft 52 which connects the front ends of a pair of spaced arms 54 and 56. Each of the arms 54 and 56 is elongated and has projecting from its rear end portion a pair of spaced pins 58 and 60. The pins 58 and 60 of the arm 54 engage and ride in an elongated cam slot 62 formed in a plate 64 secured to the inner surface of frame 14, as seen best in FIG. 3. In a similar manner, the arm 56 has projecting pins 66 and 68 which extend into and ride in a cam slot 70 formed in a plate 72 secured to the inner surface of frame 16.

A lever 74 is fixedly mounted or keyed to a cylindrical shaft 76 which extends transversely between the frames 14 and 16 and is joumalled in the latter. The shaft 76 projects beyond the outer surface of frame 16, as shown in FIG. 3, and terminates in an operating handle 78 located outside the confines of the carriage 12 where it may be grasped and manually turned for rotating shaft 76.

The free end of lever 74 is connected by a pivot pin 80 to one end of an elongated connecting link 82, the other end of which is connected by a pivot pin 84 to an intermediate point on the arm 54. A similar link and lever arrangement may be provided at the other side of the carriage 12, adjacent the frame 16, for connection to the arm 56, but this is not required for the operation now to be described.

In the operative position of the fabric retaining means, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the idler roller 52 is located proximate to and inwardly of the positive drive roller 40 in proper position to cause the fabric 32 to wrap around the upper circumferential surface of the roller 40, as presently to be described in greater detail. In this operative position, the handle 78 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in FIG. 1, the lever 74 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly from shaft 76, and the connecting link 82 is inclined upwardly and forwardly toward the arm 54, forming an acute angle with the lever 74. The pins 58 and 60 are located at the rear end portion of slot 62 and the forward portion of the arm 54 rests upon the cross-bar 19. The opposite arm 56 of course has a similar position.

When a fresh roll 30 of fabric is mounted on the turntable uprights 28, it is necessary to feed the fabric 32 around the under surface of idler roller 52 and thence around the upper surface of positive drive roller 40, as shown in FIG. 1. To facilitate this fabric feed, the handle 78 is manually turned, thereby bringing the fabric retaining means 48 to its retracted, inoperative position in which the idler roller 50 is spaced well forwardly of the roller 40 and is clear thereof. Specifically, the handle 78 is turned clockwise from its position of FIG. 1, rotating the shaft 76 and turning its connected lever 74 in the same clockwise direction, the handle, shaft and lever operating in unison as a crank in this movement. As the lever 74 turns toward the forwardly and upwardly inclined position shown in FIG. 2, it moves the connecting link 82 upwardly and forwardly, said link 82 in turn lifting the forward portion of arm 54 and moving it forwardly.

The cam slots 62 and 70 cooperate with the connecting link 82 to guide the idler roller 50 mounted at the forward end of rams 54, 56 in a compound movement about the positive drive roller 40. Considering cam slot 62 shown in FIG. 2, for example, it will be seen that said slot has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined forward section 620, and an downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear section 62b which tenninates in a short upstanding extension section 620. In the operative position of FIG. 1, the pin 60 is located at the top of the upstanding extension section 62C, which locks the arm 54 securely in its operative position. When the handle 78 is initially turned, the connecting link 82 begins its movement by lifting the forward end portion of arm 54, causing said arm to turn so that the pin 60 moves to the bottom of slot extension section 620 and into registry with slot section 62b. This initial turning movement of arm 54 raises the idler roller 52 until it is located above the level of roller 40.

Further turning of handle 78 causes pins 58 and 60 to slide upwardly and forwardly through slot section 62b under the actuating force of connecting link 82. The roller 50 is thus moved upwardly and forwardly with relation to roller 40. Finally the pins 58 and 60 enter slot section 62a which guides the idler roller 50 further forwardly and slightly downwardly. In the full retracted position of the fabric retaining means 48 shown in FIG. 2, the pin 58 is in engagement with the forward end of slot section 62a and the connecting link 82 is resting upon cross-bar 19, thus locking the arms 54 and 56 in this retracted position. The idler roller 50 is located above and well forwardly of the positive drive roller 40. The lever 74 and link 82 have moved through an axially aligned position in a toggle action.

In the retracted position of FIG. 2, fabric 32 is drawn off roll 30 and easily dropped down between the spaced rollers 40 and 50, the fabric extending between the spaced arms 54 and 56. The leading end of the fabric is then fed through the cutting assembly 36 and to the surface of table 22. The handle 78 is now turned counter-clockwise to the position of FIG. 1 causing the parts of the'fabric retaining means 48 and the idler roller 50 to follow the reverse movement to that previously described, in returning to the operative position. During this return movement, the idler roller 50 engages the fabric 32 and draws a portion rearwardly and downwardly, forming thereabout an arcuate bight 32a adjacent to and rearwardly of the roller 40, as shown in FIG. 1. As it leaves roller 50, the fabric 32 wraps around the upper surface portion of positive drive roller 40 as shown at 32b in FIG. 1. The idler roller 50 thus holds the fabric 32 in firm engagement with the abraded surface of positive drive roller 40, and as the latter rotates in a clockwise direction in response to rolling movement of the carriage 12 back and forth over the table, the roller 40 draws the fabric from roll 30 and feeds it through the cutting assembly 36 to the table surface.

The cuttinG assembly 36 includes an enclosed metal housing mounted at one end of the carriage 12 and extending across the width of said carriage. The housing 90 projects from this end of the carriage directly beneath the positive drive roller 40. As shown in FIG. 8, the housing 90 has a top wall 92, bottom wall 94 and rear wall 96 integrally formed with each other, and a movable front wall 98 carried by a shaft 100, the front wall temiinating short of the bottom wall 94. The housing also has opposed end walls 97 and 99, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Within housing 90 is mounted a block 102 which carries a rotary cutter disc 104. The block 102 is supported by rollers 106 and 108 engaging elongated rails 110 and 1 12 which project inwardly from the housing top wall 92 and rear wall 96 respectively. A reversible motor and limit switches (not shown) of conventional type are used to drive the block 102 across the width of the carriage 12 from one end of the housing 90 to the other, each time the carriage 12 reaches the end of its rolling movement in either direction.

The cutter disc 104 is mounted on a shaft 114 rotatably mounted in block 102 and terminating in a gear 116. For purposes of rotating said cutter disc, an elongated rack 118 is mounted on an a depending projection 120 of housing top wall 92, the rack 1 18 meshing with a pinion 122 mounted on block 102. The pinion 122 is mounted on a shaft 124, to the lower end of which is keyed a gear 126 which meshes with the gear 116. Thus, as the block 102 is drawn back and forth through housing 90 in successive cutting strokes, the pinion 122 traverses the rack 118 and rotates the cutter disc 104 through the aforementioned gear train which is a speed-multiplying gearing, causing rapid rotation of the cutter disc 104 in response to a slower rate of travel of the block 102. On shaft 124 is also mounted an idler sprocket 128 which separates the runs of a chain 130 which is attached to block 102, and connected to the drive motor for drawing the block 102 along housing 90.

It will be seen in FIG. 8 that while the cutter disc 104 is mounted within the interior of housing 90, a considerable portion of said disc 104 projects forwardly beneath the lower end of the front wall 98 of housing 90, so that it is exposed at the front of the housing. To protect the machine operator from injury due to contact with the travelling and rotating cutter disc, a guard plate assembly is provided, comprising a pair of fixed guard plate extensions 134 and 135 (FIG. 6) mounted at the opposite ends of the housing 90, and a movable guard plate.

136 located between said extensions. The movable guard plate 136 is pivotally mounted between the extensions 134 and 135 by means of L-shaped brackets 138 and 140 secured to the lower end corners of the movable guard plate 136, these brackets I38 and 140 being secured by respective pivots 142 and 144 to similar L-shaped brackets 146 and 148 secured to the lower inner ends of extensions 134 and 135.

In the normal closed position of the movable guard plate 136 shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the latter is in alignment with the planes of the fixed guard plate extensions 134 and 135, and serves as a central extension thereof. The movable guard plate 136 is formed with a U-sha ped indentation 150 for receiving therein the. circumferential portion of cutter disc 104, as shown in FIG. 8, and the guard plate extensions 134 and 135 have similar U-shaped indentations 152 and 154 which register with the indentation 150 to provide a continuous clearance slot through which the cutter blade moves as the block 102 traverses the housing 90. In each of the end positions of block 102, the block 102 and cutter disc 104 are stored within and covered by the respective guard plate extensions 134 and 135, but when the block 102 is moving, it passes along the movable guard plate 136, to cut the sheet of fabric 32 which is fed between the movable guard plate 136 and the movable front wall 98.

As indicated in FIG. 4, a circular cam disc 156 is rotatably mounted in the end wall97, and as shown in FIG. 5, a similar circular cam disc 158 is also rotatably mounted in the other end wall 98. Theend portions of the shaft 100 are mounted off-center in the cam discs 156 and 158 in such a manner that when the cam discs are rotated, the shaft 100 is moved in a circular path. Secured to each end of the movable front wall 136 is a cam follower in the nature of a boss 160 having an arcuate or circular slot 162 which receives the shaft 100, so that when the shaft 100 is moved in the aforementioned circular path, the front wall 136 follows the same movement. The front wall 136 is also mounted and guided by a rod 164 secured at one end to the lower portion of the front wall and extending through the housing 90, the opposite end of rod 164 passing through an aperture 166 in the housing rear wall 96, as shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8.

The shaft 100 projects through the housing end wall 97, and to this projecting portion is secured the circular hub 168 of a handle 170. The handle 170 is thus located exteriorly of the housing 90, and it will be noted in FIG. 4 that the hub 168 is mounted off-center on the shaft 100 in the same manner as the cam discs 156. Thus, when the handle 170 is turned manually, the cam discs 156 are rotated, causing the shaft 100 andthe front wall 98 mounted thereon, to move in a circular path, for a purpose to be presently described.

Mounted on the handle hub 168 is a lever arm 172, the end of which is connected by pivot 174 to one end of an angular link 176. The other end of link 176 is connected by pivot 178 to an L-shaped bracket 180. The bracket 180 has an elongated arm 182 which extends across the front of guard plate extension 134, as shown in FIG. 6, and is secured to the movable guard plate 136 as by rivets 184.

When the cutting assembly 36 is not in operation, the cutter disc 104 is located at one end of the housing 90, for example behind the guide plate fixed extension 135, as viewed in FIG. 6, so that it is laterally spaced from and clear of the fabric sheet 32 which is fed downwardly through the cutting as sembly between the housing front wall 98 and the guard plate 136, as shown in FIG. 1. In the normal position of the cutting assembly shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the handle 170 is in upright position and the cam discs 156 are so oriented that they maintain the movable front wall 98 of housing perpendicular to the top wall 92, as shown in FIG. 8. Inthis normal condition, it will also be noted that the handle hub 168 is turned to a position in which lever arm 172 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly so that the angular link 176 is in the retracted position shown in FIG. 4,. maintaining the movable guard plate 136 in an upright position parallel to the front wall 98 and spaced forwardly a short distance therefrom. The fabric 32 passes downwardly in the space between the front wall 98 and guard plate 136. To facilitate this passage, the movable guard plate 136 has a forwardly inclined upper end portion 136a.

When the carriage 12 reaches either and of itsrun along the table surface, the cutting assembly motor is energized, driving the block 102 through housing 90 from one end of the machine to the other. At the same time, the cutter disc 104, carried by block 102, is rotated rapidly, so that it cuts through the fabric feeding through the cutting assembly.

When a new roll of fabric is mounted on the machine and the fabric is fed around the positive drive roller 40 as previously described, it is then necessary to feed the leading edge of the fabric through the cutting assembly 36. Because the movable guard plate 136 is closely spaced from the housing front wall 98, it would be difficult to feed the fabric therebetween. To facilitate such feeding, the cutting assembly is brought to the open condition shown in FIG. 7, in a manner now to be described.

When the handle 170 is turned manually in a clockwise direction from the upright position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 to the depending position shown in FIG. 7, the hub 168 is also turned clockwise through an angle of approximately l80 to bring the lever arm 172 forwardly to the position shown in FIG. 7. The angular link 176 is moved forwardly and then downwardly, to draw movable guard plate 136 away from front wall 98, the guard plate 136 turning about pivots 142 and 144 to its open, horizontally disposed position shown in FIG. 7. At the same time, the cam discs 156 and 158 also rotate through an arc of 180, carrying the shaft downwardly, rearwardly, and then upwardly, the shaft 100 also carrying the front wall 98 in this direction. Thus, the movable front wall 98 is moved rearwardly from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 7, the rod 164 sliding in rear wall aperture 166 to permit this movement.

It will thus be seen in FIG. 7 that downward turning movement of handle has moved front wall 98 slightly rearwardly and also moved guard plate 136 considerably forwardly and clear of said front wall. There is now a large unobstructed space between the front wall 98 and movable guard plate 136 through which the fabric material may be easily fed until it reaches the table surface. The handle 170 is now brought back to its upright position, and the parts reverse their movements until the front wall 98 and movable guard plate 136 arrive at their closely spaced, parallel position of FIG. 4 with the fabric 32 confined therebetween.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fabric spreading machine including a carriage movable back and forth over a table surface and having means for mounting a supply of fabric thereon, a cutting assembly having a housing, and a positive drive roller rotatable in a single direction in response to movement of the carriage over the table surface in either direction, the improvement comprising a cam-operated fabric feeding assembly for guiding said fabric about said positive'drive roller and through said cutting assembly and being movable to a retracted position to permit said fabric to be fed around said roller and through said cutting assembly, said fabric feeding assembly including an idler roller, movable support means mounted on said carriage and carrying said idler roller, manually operable drive means for moving said support means, and first cam means engaging said support means and guiding the same for movement of said idler roller between an operative position closely spaced from one side of said positive drive roller, and a retracted position spaced a substantial distance from the other side of said positive drive roller for feeding fabric between said rollers, said first cam means being adapted to hold said idler roller immoveably in said operative position, a movable front wall on said cutting assembly housing, a guard plate mounted adjacent said front wall and being closely spaced therefrom for guiding fabric therebetween, and second cam means movably mounted on said carriage and coupled to said movable front wall for spreading apart said front wall and guard plate a sufficient distance to permit the leading edge of the fabric passing around said positive feed roller to be fed between said front wall and guard plate to said table surface.

2. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 1 in which said movable support means comprises a pair of spaced elongated arms carrying said idler roller therebetween at the front end thereof, and said first cam means comprises a cam slot on said carriage, and cam followers on at least one of said arms in engagement with said cam slot, said manually operable drive means being connected to one of said arms for moving said arms in a direction in which said cam followers move through said slot.

3. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 2 in which said drive means comprises a rotatable. operating handle, a lever coupled to said handle, and a connecting link connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to one of said arms.

4. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 3 in which said cam slot and drive means are arranged to move said arms in a compound movement in which said idler roller is raised above the level of said positive feed roller and is then moved forwardly of the latter.

5. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 1 in which said cutting assembly housing has a bottom wall, a top wall, a rear wall and a pair of end walls, said movable front wall being mounted below the forward end of said top wall and being normally perpendicular thereto, said guard plate being pivotally mounted at its bottom' end forwardly of said bottom wall and being normally parallel to and closely spaced forwardly of said front wall.

6. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 5 in which said second cam means includes a pair of cam discs rotatably mounted in the respective end walls of said housing, a shaft eccentrically mounted in said cam discs and extending transversely therebetween, an operating handle mounted outside said housing and coupled to said shaft for rotation of the latter when said handle is turned, and a cam follower mounted on said front wall and engaging said shaft for moving said front wall in a direction away from said guard plate when said handle is turned.

7. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 6 in which said front wall has a guide rod secured thereto, said guide rod extending rearwardly through said housing and projecting through an aperture in the rear wall thereof.

8. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 6 in which said second cam means also includes a lever arm coupled to said operating handle, and an angular link connected at one end to said lever arm and at the other end to said guard plate.

9. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 8 in which turning movement of said operating handle turns said'lever arm in a direction to cause said angular link to move forwardly and move said guard plate about its pivotal mount in a direction way from said front wall. 

1. In a fabric spreading machine including a carriage movable back and forth over a table surface and having means for mounting a supply of fabric thereon, a cutting assembly having a housing, and a positive drive roller rotatable in a single direction in response to movement of the carriage over the table surface in either direction, the improvement comprising a cam-operated fabric feeding assembly for guiding said fabric about said positive drive roller and through said cutting assembly and being movable to a retracted position to permit said fabric to be fed around said roller and through said cutting assembly, said fabric feeding assembly including an idler roller, movable support means mounted on said carriage and carrying said idler roller, manually operable drive means for moving said support means, and first cam means engaging said support means and guiding the same for movement of said idler roller between an operative position closely spaced from one side of said positive drive roller, and a retracted position spaced a substantial distance from the other side of said positive drive roller for feeding fabric between said rollers, said first cam means being adapted to hold said idler roller immoveably in said operative position, a movable front wall on said cutting assembly housing, a guard plate mounted adjacent said front wall and being closely spaced therefrom for guiding fabric therebetween, and second cam means movably mounted on saId carriage and coupled to said movable front wall for spreading apart said front wall and guard plate a sufficient distance to permit the leading edge of the fabric passing around said positive feed roller to be fed between said front wall and guard plate to said table surface.
 2. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 1 in which said movable support means comprises a pair of spaced elongated arms carrying said idler roller therebetween at the front end thereof, and said first cam means comprises a cam slot on said carriage, and cam followers on at least one of said arms in engagement with said cam slot, said manually operable drive means being connected to one of said arms for moving said arms in a direction in which said cam followers move through said slot.
 3. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 2 in which said drive means comprises a rotatable operating handle, a lever coupled to said handle, and a connecting link connected at one end to said lever and at the other end to one of said arms.
 4. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 3 in which said cam slot and drive means are arranged to move said arms in a compound movement in which said idler roller is raised above the level of said positive feed roller and is then moved forwardly of the latter.
 5. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 1 in which said cutting assembly housing has a bottom wall, a top wall, a rear wall and a pair of end walls, said movable front wall being mounted below the forward end of said top wall and being normally perpendicular thereto, said guard plate being pivotally mounted at its bottom end forwardly of said bottom wall and being normally parallel to and closely spaced forwardly of said front wall.
 6. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 5 in which said second cam means includes a pair of cam discs rotatably mounted in the respective end walls of said housing, a shaft eccentrically mounted in said cam discs and extending transversely therebetween, an operating handle mounted outside said housing and coupled to said shaft for rotation of the latter when said handle is turned, and a cam follower mounted on said front wall and engaging said shaft for moving said front wall in a direction away from said guard plate when said handle is turned.
 7. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 6 in which said front wall has a guide rod secured thereto, said guide rod extending rearwardly through said housing and projecting through an aperture in the rear wall thereof.
 8. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 6 in which said second cam means also includes a lever arm coupled to said operating handle, and an angular link connected at one end to said lever arm and at the other end to said guard plate.
 9. A fabric feeding assembly according to claim 8 in which turning movement of said operating handle turns said lever arm in a direction to cause said angular link to move forwardly and move said guard plate about its pivotal mount in a direction way from said front wall. 